Radiofrequency catheter ablation may be used to treat cardiac arrhythmias. Normally, heart muscle cells are stimulated by electrical impulses originating from an area of specialized cells known as the sinus node. Electrical impulses from the sinus node move along the conduction fibers of the heart and stimulate cardiac muscle to contract in a uniform and regular manner, producing a heartbeat.
Cardiac arrhythmias may occur when other cells in the heart outside of the sinus node become active and generate abnormal electrical impulses. These abnormal impulses may compete with, or overwhelm, the impulses originating from the sinus node thereby causing cardiac muscle to contract in a non-uniform or irregular manner. Cardiac arrhythmias may also occur when abnormal pathways, or routes, form within the heart effectively short circuiting the regular pathway of the electrical impulses originating from the sinus node. In these situations, heartbeats may become irregular resulting in a cardiac arrhythmia.
Minimally invasive intracardiac RF ablation catheters for ablation of cardiac structures may be used to treat cardiac arrhythmias. RF ablation may be used to damage cardiac tissue that is generating abnormal electrical impulses or conducting electrical impulses along an abnormal pathway. The damaged tissue no longer generates or conducts electrical impulses and the normal heartbeat is restored. RF ablation in the heart may be aided by echocardiographic imaging of soft tissue, particularly cardiac structures. Image guidance of cardiac ablations can improve the safety and efficacy of the procedure.